Showing advice please - to plait or not to plait?

PartlyPickled

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On behalf of a friend.

Should i plait my welsh section D for showing in the following classes:
Working Hunter
Veteran
Best ridden/rider

Also how should the tail be?
Should i wear big ribbon browband also?

Trying to up our game for the weekend and want everything to be spot on
Thank you!
 
Assuming you are at 'local' level....
Working hunter yes unless it is M & M
Vereran ... not necessary
Best ridden not necessary.

Tail either plaited ( if mane plaited too) or in all cases lightly pulled/ tidied.

This will of course depend on your cobs general appearance if he/she is very breed typical I would probably leave natural all round ( ie no plaiting) and show as a welsh cob.

I am sure others will have their own opinions, this is just mine!
 
I would show him as a sec d in all classes, trimmed up correctly as to breed standards, trying to plait a thick full M&M mane and tail will just end up looking messy and worse than leaving it loose.

No coloured browbands, plain brown leather tack, discrete dark numnah, tweed jacket for the rider with a smart shirt and tie, no buttonholes or scrunchies, ensure the pony is clean and groomed to within and inch of his life with a wipe of oil to his face to enhance the features.
 
I would show him as a sec d in all classes, trimmed up correctly as to breed standards, trying to plait a thick full M&M mane and tail will just end up looking messy and worse than leaving it loose.

No coloured browbands, plain brown leather tack, discrete dark numnah, tweed jacket for the rider with a smart shirt and tie, no buttonholes or scrunchies, ensure the pony is clean and groomed to within and inch of his life with a wipe of oil to his face to enhance the features.
 
I would show him as a sec d in all classes, trimmed up correctly as to breed standards, trying to plait a thick full M&M mane and tail will just end up looking messy and worse than leaving it loose.

No coloured browbands, plain brown leather tack, discrete dark numnah, tweed jacket for the rider with a smart shirt and tie, no buttonholes or scrunchies, ensure the pony is clean and groomed to within and inch of his life with a wipe of oil to his face to enhance the features.

I agree with this I think he would look best unplaited Good luck!
 
Assuming you are at 'local' level....
Working hunter yes unless it is M & M
Vereran ... not necessary
Best ridden not necessary.

Tail either plaited ( if mane plaited too) or in all cases lightly pulled/ tidied.

This will of course depend on your cobs general appearance if he/she is very breed typical I would probably leave natural all round ( ie no plaiting) and show as a welsh cob.

I am sure others will have their own opinions, this is just mine!

Thank you, yes local level but its a big charity show so going to be busy. His mane is pulled but still long and tail is natural. He has a big crest but isnt the chunkiest doesnt have very hairy legs either (don't know how to add a photo sorry) he wins a lot as he is (not plaited) but want to be "correct"
 
Tail there's quite a variety depending on what his backside is like and what you do- on average lightly pulled at the very top and feathered just below hocks. Longer for working hunter, more out for inhand. Again variety of mane lengths, from a few inches to nearly off the bottom of the neck, but always thin either naturally or thinned, to lie flat to the neck. Some manes will be plaited the night before to add a 'wave' but not all.
The only class you may not be correct for is working hunter but a correctly turned out native in an open 'local' level class would do you better than trying to make him something he's not. If they don't have a M+M class (or that's limited to pony height) I always assume it's open to M+Ms turned out to type.
 
unless the working hunter class is specified as an M&M WH class then officially you should plait the pony

With a section D mane I personally wouldn't plait however you would need to accept that if the judge is 'by the book' and judges at higher levels you will not conform to the normal type for a plaited WH class and may be overlooked

You could try a running plait I suppose which would give a nod to 'correct' turnout
 
unless the working hunter class is specified as an M&M WH class then officially you should plait the pony

With a section D mane I personally wouldn't plait however you would need to accept that if the judge is 'by the book' and judges at higher levels you will not conform to the normal type for a plaited WH class and may be overlooked

You could try a running plait I suppose which would give a nod to 'correct' turnout

You never, ever, ever do a running plait in the show ring! It's more wrong than not plaiting at all!
 
unless the working hunter class is specified as an M&M WH class then officially you should plait the pony

With a section D mane I personally wouldn't plait however you would need to accept that if the judge is 'by the book' and judges at higher levels you will not conform to the normal type for a plaited WH class and may be overlooked

You could try a running plait I suppose which would give a nod to 'correct' turnout

You may even be asked to plait before entering the ring, A running plait will suffice.
 
You may even be asked to plait before entering the ring, A running plait will suffice.

Wow! Charity shows in East anglia are far friendlier! They might place you last but unless they state who's rules they're running to and that specifies I doubt anyone would chuck anyone out unless it's something universal like no boots in the flat section. We certainly had hairies in the unaff workers class at our big country show (that also hosts HOYs and RI Quals) Never ever seen anyone running plait a native for showing in a plaited class, you could normal plait a Ds mane anyway.
 
I used to groom for WHP at HOYS level.. Never use a running plait, M&M worker classes leave natural. If it is a standard workin ghunter class the welsh pony should be plaited- always.
 
NEVER use a running plait.

At local level the M&M's are generaly in with the normal WHP's and it is fine to show as a Welsh.
Dont plait up your section D as they often look rediculas plaited and you will get marked down for not being true to type.
 
I've done plenty of local WH classes on Frank, always unplaited apart from the year I had clipped his feathers off so plaited.
 
Just so were clear, running plait is acceptable in the show ring for certain breed
Luso/and/fresian just to name a few

Welsh D I would show natural, and as others have said if there is a M&M workers that would be more suitable than a hunter class

At the end of the day have fun!!!
 
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